Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Vehicle dependability surged in 2009, J.D. Power survey finds

In the depths of the Great Recession that threatened their existence, automakers built better vehicles. A lot better. The improvement in dependability of three-year-old 2009 vehicles from the year before was one of the biggest ever measured in the J.D.

Concept Car of the Week: Nissan NX-21 (1983)

In the early 1980s, with the new millennium still seemingly an age away, Nissan Design America was tasked with imagining the family car of the future, while giving potential buyers a preview of the forthcoming N13 NX and EXA models. The resulting concept would be shown at the Tokyo motor show in 1983. Given confidence by the increasing success and expanding global presence of Japanese cars, including the previous generation N12 NX, Nissan's designers, led by Tom Semple, decided that the NX-21 (for 21st century) was the answer.

2013 Lincoln MKZ spotted beside its predecessor

We've seen the 2013 Lincoln MKZ on the road before sans camouflage, but it's the company that this particular MKZ is keeping that makes these photos notable. Snapped by Autoweek reader Jon McCrary in Traverse City, Mich., the pictures show the upcoming 2013 MKZ next to a current-generation MKZ. The contrast is striking.